Happy Music Monday! In the never ending attempt to make 2016's death band the greatest in history, another huge talent has passed. It's possible you've never heard of Gato Barbieri, but it's very likely you've heard him, or at least felt his influence in some other song. Today we're gonna jazz it up and pay tribute. Enjoy.
Gato Barbieri & Santana - Europa
Barbieri was from Argentina, and by the time he was doing stuff like this, was very well established. He'd played with jazz bands, he'd played with partners, and he'd been a solo artist on some artistic avant-garde labels. He was even the inspiration for the Muppet Zoot (the sax player with the Electric Mayhem) if that tells you how important Barbieri was to the counter-culture scene. But I accept that not everyone gives a damn about ESP and the Flying Dutchman labels, so I'm starting with this Santana duet. Because, ultimately, it's just as good as the rest of Barbieri's catalog and it helps you understand how a guy you might not have heard of could still be hanging out right next to a famous rock star.
Scott only learned that tidbit about Zoot while preparing this tribute. Who knew? Four more to come...
Last Tango In Paris Soundtrack
Gato Barbieri was known for free jazz, which is not something that usually works well with an orchestra. And yet, the soundtrack for a Marlon Brando movie needed to be a bit different. It's lovely, but slightly unsettling at the same time. Sort of like the movie, in a way. Also of note is that the man earned himself a Grammy for this. And if it's good enough for Grammy, it's good enough for you.
Gato Barbieri - Bachianas Brasleiras/Haleo and The Wild Rose
I first learned of Barbieri when I got into vinyl, and I started looking for all the weird little labels that attracted the cool artists that would never get radio airplay. I wanted something different, and I got something that was very, well, radio friendly. I accept that I have eclectic tastes and that "way out" from before I was born was not "way out" by the time I discovered it, but even still, it's hard for me to imagine someone not enjoying what's going on here. But even if you don't, you can likely still pick up some of the roots of what was later going to show up in rock, hip hop, and the next waves of jazz.
Gato Barbieri - Yo Le Canto A La Luna
That's not to say he was always wild and anti-traditional. A good jazz artist has to know the roots, you can't wander off the path until you know exactly where that path leads. If you can find your way back from the wilderness, you're not exploring, you're lost. Little songs like this one are perfect proof that Barbieri could hold his own with the pop song sax players any time he wanted to. He just didn't always want to.
Gato Barbieri, Carlos Franzetti, David Finck, Nestor Astarita - It's Over
This was, as far as I can tell, the last thing Gato Barbieri was involved in. But even if I'm wrong... the man was in his late seventies when this was recorded. Maybe you can hear the notes aren't as raw and sharp as they used to be, but they're still well-considered and just damn good. In his late seventies Gato Barbieri was still a solid sax player. I think he went out just as cool as he came in. RIP Gato. Hope you're hanging your hat somewhere nice.
Let us just remind you: some images come from the corresponding Wikipedia page and are here under fair use. See you next week, when we'll see who else has passed on.